My Turn: Personal stories by Health section readers

A writer’s young niece and longtime friend both face their diseases bravely, inspiring others and bringing people together.

Karyn Foley avoids her own gaze, unhappy with her self-image due to body dysmorphic disorder. She has spent years masking her symptoms.

A patient’s dire diagnosis sits in her file for a year, prompting her to vow to be more proactive.

A patient uses lyrics and melodies to ease the boredom of a long hospital stay.

A teenage boy plunges to his death. What do we tell our kids? And how do we carry on ourselves?

When the CF gene was identified in 1989, a photo of its discoverer gained a spot on the fridge. Now there’s new promise for a mother to grasp.

They hover between the hearing and deaf world but fear feeling like outsiders.

Alzheimer’s disease brought us together.

By all accounts, Americans are becoming heavier.

I was baptized at Our Lady of Hypochondria Church.

Making a child sit on Santa’s lap can lead to years of trauma. It’s a picture not worth taking.

When panic ensues after news of rising PSA levels, one man decides to get a grip, get better informed about prostate cancer and screening, and live life sensibly.

Like the young man in ‘50/50,’ a high school student faces a cancer diagnosis.

My doctor recently suggested that a diminishing number of my white blood cells might signal a serious condition.

Martina McBride, thank you for singing a song for breast cancer husbands.

While in the waiting room before treatment, the silence is broken with music, even a dance step or two. It’s all good medicine for people thrown together by fate and bonded by hope.

She once loved politics, intellectual debates and poetry. Now her vocabulary and body has withered.

Despite the ‘torture’ involved, activity leads to a happier lifestyle.

An oncology nurse recalls how her father’s final days were as good as they could be.

She used to hate working out. But a class at a local community college changed her thinking — and that was 28 years ago.

An eye patch her husband wore after surgery inspires pirate talk from friends and strangers.

June 26 marked the seventh month since my diagnosis of Stage 3B non-small cell lung cancer.

Rumi said it best: “Grief can be the garden of compassion.”

She finally came to appreciate the role mountain biking playing in his life. Now that he is giving it up because of injury, it’s a sad time.

Environment or genetics? It’s probably a combination.

The gadget proves useful for a woman’s daughter in managing concerns.

Dance Central for Xbox 360 proves quite the workout for a mom pushing 60 who’s still a 16-year-old dancer at heart.

In case you were wondering, being the parent of a 2-year-old child who can’t walk, needs oxygen and has a feeding tube protruding from her belly is a strange experience.

A diet of vegetables and whole grains plus a dog-walking regimen help a woman reach her goal.

I am now almost finished with my journey of medical treatment for breast cancer.

It started when her glasses became a chew toy. Then the optometrist discovered her dangerous level of blood pressure. Now she’s living a more hopeful life.

He remembers waking up as she had a heart attack. His use of chest compression rather than traditional CPR is credited with helping her survive.

A doctor diagnosed with cancer discovers the power a hug can have on an ailing patient.

When the 94-year-old widow fell in her home, the author reluctantly broke a promise.

After a lifetime of assuming Mom will always be there, her daughter waivers between despair and love.

In my junior high home ec class, I liked the emphasis on precision we were taught: Use a butter knife to level off the dry ingredients in a measuring cup, and never pour salt into a measuring spoon over a bowl of already waiting ingredients.

Don’t give advice, but be there to listen.

After losing weight and keeping it off on the Atkins diet, it seems odd that no one wants to find out why this higher-calorie option appears to be more effective.

Medical science has determined that one cannot separate mental and emotional health from physical well-being.

I completed the Pasadena Marathon six months ago.

When I stood on the starting line of the Los Angeles Marathon this spring, my main objective was to beat my husband.

I have always loved helping people achieve their fitness goals, whatever they may be.

Or, how I used the Bard to shed the lard.

A diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lungs, carries with it a sobering reality. But also new challenges.

When I open the freezer, out spill industrial-sized bags of spinach, blueberries and chopped bananas from Costco.

A treadmill stress test during Healthy Heart Week was his wake-up call. He took up running, and now does everything from 5Ks to marathons.

I always aimed to keep the doctor away, following the American Heart Assn.’

It’s when the light is just right.

An episode of ‘The Closer’ sparks a personal turnaround.

Focus on what you should do, not what you shouldn’t do.

“I haven’t done this since the eighth grade, so be gentle with me.”

I was five years into trying to conceive when I received the diagnosis that stopped my quest: premature ovarian failure.

Retired grandma, 66, finds weightlifting battles flab and old age.

CPR kept her husband alive after suffering sudden cardiac arrest, but he hasn’t been the same since.

An unemployed Nevada resident is forced to seek treatment at a crowded state facility. But a sensitive and understanding nurse named Jeff makes the visits worthwhile.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” he asked me. He was about 84 years old and interested in a date.

A GPS watch, gait analysis and music were among the tools that helped his progress.

Maybe it is the fault of genetics. But she tries modifying her diet before resorting to prescription medicine.

It took the death of her spouse before a woman began taking sun protection seriously, but now she hopes to get others motivated less painfully.

Whether it was a boyfriend, health goals, personal time or beautiful views, one senior has tried to find a reason and a plan to get or stay in shape.

Healthcare professionals and diabetics should work together to help get blood sugars within the target range.

After a series of tests and misdiagnoses, he discovers his weakness and nausea were caused by allergic reactions to milk, wheat and other foods.

I’d always had a vague feeling that my mother needed to be aware of skin cancer.

They might not want to face their own mortality.

A cross-country outing with my daughter ends in a burst bubble.

Last night at dinner, my 6-foot-tall husband looked down at my plate and said, “You eat more than I do.”

She has COPD, so a portable oxygen supply is a necessity. If only people would see her before they saw her treatment.

A little, light torture, anyone? “Lift! Lift the thighs! Lift the torso! Up with the arms!

Speak slowly and clearly, and look at those who are afflicted so they also can read nonverbal communication.

It’s the little things that add up to a deep well of support.

On a trip to the art museum, my son, my husband and I stopped in the cafeteria for lunch.

For a compulsive overeater, a lifelong commitment to good health began with the realization that sugar is the enemy. Staying away keeps the binges at bay.

Whenever I heard the phrase “broken ankle,” I assumed the subsequent events: cast, crutches, cast off, bit of limp, back to normal.

Our king-size bed used to be such a symbol of fun for me, and not just for the reason you might think.

A former advertising executive finds that being able to do whatever she wants beats being a stress junkie.

Every morning I get out of bed slowly and shuffle off to the bathroom to take my pile of pills, including a pain medication that has been vilified to the extent that I shudder to speak its name (to borrow a little from Harry Potter).

This isn’t an easy subject for me, but it’s one many will relate to. I have rheumatoid arthritis.

Revelations come from a new relationship as cancer patient and caregiver.

Stress is yours for the slaying. Just get the upper hand on what’s in your head.

Public misunderstandings, and the occasional laugh

Be grateful for procedure’s benefits, book an early appointment and stock up on food for afterward.

Younger adults stricken by disease share emotions, details of treatment with refreshing candor.

Beauty can also mean helping the planet.

Her friend’s mom died of a heart attack at 49. Her friend is worried about history repeating itself. But the way the mom lived is very different from the daughter.

She opted out of those crowded fitness classes and found inspiration in the famous folks who lead her in DVD workouts.

Pedaling to work is such a joyful thing -- if only all those recent new cyclists (with an aversion to high gas prices) would go back to their cars.

There are 8 million Americans allergic to cats. My fiancee is one.

When your loved one is hospitalized, you quickly learn to recognize who’s there to help and who’s not.

But her commitment to therapy and willingness to try new medications to stave off panic attacks gives her ever-increasing control.

A personalized design reflects his vocation and defines his illness.

Morgan Jaffe lost her mother to breast cancer 11 years ago, but the memories never waned. This year, she’ll participate in her fourth Avon Walk.

After 13 years of the illness, she maintains a positive outlook while adapting to a body that no longer cooperates.

Workouts become a habit when you look forward to the conversations.

At 80, she was told she no longer needed periodic colonoscopies. Why?

Once, she taught aerobics classes. Now, after months of losing muscle mass to Budd-Chiari Syndrome, her first workout in years is a lesson in self-awareness and strength.

A teacher’s students may scoff at him for leaving his car at home, but he wears his yellow safety vest with pride.

A man whose physician father also has the same diagnoses finds solace and advice reading the book.

At a routine exam, her gynecologist’s last-minute query results in early treatment via laparoscopic hysterectomy. Would every doctor have the time to inquire?

Numbers don’t lie, especially when it comes to weight. But sometimes they don’t tell the full story.

A hospital stay in England illustrates the gaps in the American healthcare system.

Some people can’t stand the word “irregardless.”

Rationalizing away symptoms might calm jangled nerves, but it can also prove dangerous.

A man’s delight in boating provides a daughter with vibrant memories of a father, before Alzheimer’s, in his prime.

With friends and family in the land of Omaha steaks, it’s hard to explain that you’re no longer a carnivore.

The time it takes to sustain health in twilight years takes away from living.

JUDGING from recent studies of the college recruiting process, there are more than a few sports stage parents out there.

Inside a ‘little blue book’ is her record of trial and triumph.

A teenage boy’s brash comment misses its mark. Why try to turn back the clock when you are forging ahead?

She wanted a body 10 pounds lighter. She got a renewed mind and a surprising amount of reading done.

Want to see the far-reaching effects of stimulants? Check out a college campus.

IT’S become our annual tradition.

Medical advances settle a baby boomer’s fears and illuminate one of life’s everyday miracles.

A counselor knows the despair that addicts feel. He also knows recovery is possible.

It took misdiagnosis, a nudge for her doctor and a search for the right face mask, but now she can rest.

A change-of-life daughter who’s heard this all of her life offers a different perspective on late motherhood.

To her, ‘survivor’ is just too passive.

For a mother and her epileptic daughter, a Chinese herbal tea is sweet balm.

My usual walking routine is to trek briskly for at least an hour a day, up and down the neighborhood hills.

A mother considers the doors that her son’s illness has forced her to lock tight.

When a runner has to do without her iPod, she gets a chance to hear something else: her inner voice.

There I was, a relatively healthy old guy in a stall shower, preparing to celebrate a 34th wedding anniversary with my ever-loving spouse, Elsie.

An experienced patient has time-saving tips for docs.

Many of us have been through illnesses that require operations, risky procedures or recurring downtime that can change our lives, even if we fully recover.

What looks like aspirin could turn out to be trouble for the wrong patient.

Her son’s cancerous leg tests a mother’s ability to separate emotion from medical reality.

She was headed for impairment, but a pediatrician spotted the red flags.

I feel a fluttering inside me. Well, sometimes it’s more like an elbow to the gut.

Among all the conflicting nutritional news out there, one thing’s clear: Dark chocolate has benefits.

We were standing in the perpetually long line at Versailles waiting to purchase our tickets, after which we would stand in another long line to get into the famous palace, when I turned to my 17-year-old grandson and asked if he noticed anything odd about the throng of people around us.

The Chinese foot massage was pure torture -- yet afterward, she was feeling no pain. Ahh, $12 therapy.

In my 45th year, I learned about life -- through my 12-year-old daughter’s pain.

She got a pedometer to keep track of daily walking. Now she can’t go anywhere without it.

Pharmaceutical companies want us to play doctor. Sickness sells, but I’m not buying.

Years ago HIV/AIDS was the “it” health news item.

She’s found an upside to aging: the Senior Olympics.

Many people, while conceding that recreational walking is a convenient, low-tech and effective exercise, complain that it is much too boring to be worthy of their efforts.

Her father, lost in the fog of Alzheimer’s, won’t remember the promise she can’t keep.

The time has come for someone to conduct the definitive research study on baby bouncing.

It was March 1997 and I was leaving the USC psychiatric ward.